Clothes-pin holder.



J. J. HARRIS.

CLOTHES PIN HOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED onze. 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

:El E E WMM/mow COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

NETE@ STATES Pia JOHN J. HARRIS, 0F CALUMET, MICHIGAN.

CLOTHES-rnv HOLDER.

To all wh-0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN J. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Calumet, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes- Pin Holders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to special receptacles, and more particularly to those having mechanism for permitting the single delivery of the articles contained therein; and the object of the same is to produce an improved clothes pin holder whereby the pins may be thrown into the top of the receptacle and withdrawn one by one from the bottom thereof. This and other objects are accomplished by the construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a. side elevation of this holder complete, showing it as hanging upon a clothes line; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the numerals 1 designate the side walls of this improved receptacle which converge downward toward each other, and the numerals 2 designate the end walls thereof which are substantially triangular in outline as shown, and which by preference extend below the lower edges of the side walls and are provided with feet 3 of any suitable pattern whereby the entire receptacle may be supported on a horizontal member such as the ground, if desired.

The numeral 4 designates a bail or handle rising preferably from the ends of the body, and the numeral 5 designates a rather long hook carried by the top of the handle so that it may be engaged over a clothes line 6 when desired and may be disengaged therefrom when the receptacle is to be carried in the hand.

Coming now more particularly to the details of the present invention, the top of the receptacle is composed of two stationary strips 7 extendingfrom end to end and secured upon the side and end walls, from which side walls they project inwardly for a short distance, and below each top strip is hinged at 8 a door or gate 9 held normally elevated by a spring 10, the width of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 26, 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

seran No. 656,946.

the two doors being such that they nearly meet at the center when they extend horizontally and bear against the fixed top strips, which is their ordinary position by reason of the tension of the springs. The bottom of this improved receptacle is composed of two wide spring tongues 15, each of which is substantially as long as one of the side members of the body and is secured to the lower edge thereof by any suitable means such as nails or screws 16, and each of which tongues is as wide as necessary so that its lower edge may nearly make contact with the lower edge of the adjacent tongue. Finally each tongue 15 is notched out as shown at 17 for a considerable distance along the center of the lower edge, leaving the extremities of the tongues projecting and contacting with each other. These members are by preference of light spring steel or other metal which will yield slightly, and by preference they are painted or galvanized or treated in some way so as to prevent rust. The remainder of the device may well be built of wood, suitably painted or treated for the same purpose; and the sizes and proportions of parts are immaterial to the successful operation of the invention.

In use the receptacle may be carried from point to point by grasping the handle and raising it bodily, or it may rest upon any flat surface by setting it on its feet as will be clear. At other times its hook may be engaged over the clothes line and it will hang suspended in position for ready use. When it is desired to remove a clothes pin the operator inserts her thumb and finger in the notches of the two tongues and grasps a clothes pin which lies therein, and by giving a sharp downward pull on the pin the latter is removed and ready for use in her hand. Another clothes pin within the receptacle immediately descends by gravity in the angle between the two tongues, as illustrated in the drawings. From time to time the device may be pushed along the line in a manner which will be clear, and the length of the hook prevents it from tilting or swinging undesirably. If it rests upon the ground and -is accidentally knocked or blown over, the fixed strips and the hinged gates along its top prevent the contents from falling out. When the user is taking down the dried clothes she can remove a clothes pin and toss it for quite a distance into this holder. Falling upon either of the gates, its weight and the force of impact will cause the gates to open downwardly and admit the pin to the interior of the receptacle. Therein the pins accumulate ready for withdrawal and renewed use as above described.

What is claimed as new is:

The herein described clothes-pin holder comprising rigid upright end walls, rigid side walls connecting said end walls and converging downward toward each other, means Jfor permitting the withdrawal of the contents from between the lower edges. of the side walls, rigid longitudinal top strips connecting said end walls and extending from above the side walls inward toward each other, gates hinged at their outer edges under said strips, springs holding said gates elevated into normal contact with the strips, a handle connecting the end walls, and a hook on the handle, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. HARRIS. Witnesses:

DANIEL C. I-IARRINGTON, GEORGE J. KEMP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

